Lacie Ch. 10

Laughing, he pulled up the wheeled stool that Heather had been using while she stitched up Lacie's cut. Sitting down, he leaned back over Lacie, holding her as she slowly scooted closer, resting her head drunkenly against his arm. Lacie closed her eyes and started stroking the upper half of Master's right arm.

"Don't let her fall asleep. She's got a moderate concussion." Lacie heard Heather tell Master. Lacie felt slight pressure on her uninjured leg. Opening her eyes, Lacie saw Claire, Callie and Ana standing at the foot of her bed, all of them gingerly squeezing her leg, giving what comfort they could. They were teary eyed, but smiling. Lacie snuggled closer to Master and gave them a gentle, drunken wave. The three girls smiled back, curling their own fingers over as they returned the wave.

"How bad are her injuries?" Master asked.

"Well, considering how long they must have been chasing her, and how fast she was going when she fell, her injuries are relatively minor. She needed eleven stitches and she's got a moderate concussion, as I said. She probably hit her head on a rock when she fell. Her ankle is swollen, but I don't think it's broken, she just twisted it really badly." Heather answered, picking up and putting away the supplies she had used on Lacie. "I gave her some pretty strong painkillers, that's why she's kind of loopy at the moment. She'll be fine with a few days of rest. I've got the Icesleeve on her ankle, it should help with the swelling. Aside from a few cuts, scrapes and minor bruises and abrasions, otherwise she's fine. Do we know where the breach happened?"

"Not yet. I have some friends I trust coming in. They won't ask the questions they don't need to and won't go snooping where they don't have to. I called Michaels and Edwards personally, you've met them." Lacie saw some of the girls nod.

Callie spoke up. "Those are the guys who were here after we set up the fences, right?"

"Right." Master answered. "They know the truth of us here, so if they want to ask you anything, be as honest as you can." He turned to Lacie. "Lace, Lacie?"

"Hmm?" Lacie replied sleepily.

"Where is the breach in the fence? How did they get in?"

"North. Dead tree. Fell on fence." Lacie waved in a general northwards direction, too drugged to do or say anything more.

Master looked at the door.

"That would do it. The fences wouldn't be able to withstand the weight of a tree. Clever. It's too convenient though. I check the fence integrity every day. It was fine this morning. So either they hacked my computers or that tree fell today. That's not a lot of time for poachers to find the breach, get outfitted and sneak in. It had to be an intentional breach." Master's phone buzzed and he pulled the small device out of his pocket before answering.

Walking away, Master began talking to the person on the other end of the line. The girls all crowded around Lacie, talking over each other at once, but Lacie never really remembered anything after that, the drugs having worked their way too deeply into her system.